Q&A
PORCH OF
THE CARYATIDS
The roof of the Erechtheion’s
south porch is supported by
HOW DID THEY DO THAT? six Caryatids – statues of the
maidens of Karyes who danced in
honour of the goddess Artemis.
ACROPOLIS
Athens’ greatest monument is a symbol of civilisation
Acropolis translates as ‘topmost city’: a citadel on a high place. But the Acropolis of Athens, which
largely dates back to the fifth century BC when Pericles was leader of the city, is more than merely
a collection of old buildings on a craggy outcrop. This depiction, recreating the sacred precinct in
its heyday, shows why it is described by UNESCO as “the site of four of the greatest
masterpieces of classical Greek art… symbolising the idea of world heritage”. ERECHTHEION
This elegant temple, erected
421-406 BC, was named for
a mythical king of Athens
CLASSICAL GREECE STATUE OF ATHENA and housed altars of several
PROMACHOS cults including those of
Only chunks of the marble base Poseidon and Athena Polias.
Thebes
of this 9m-high bronze statue
ATHENS remain. It was sculpted by
Corinth Phidias around 456 BC and
displayed spoils from the victory
IONIC
over the Persians at Marathon.
COLUMNS
ATHENS
Eleusis Kifissos
Gulf of River
Eleusina
ACROPOLIS
THE FRIEZE
Ilisos River
An epic frieze – a marble
relief depicting a mass
procession – extended
160m around the cella
(walled inner structure).
PROPYLAEA Most of the surviving
130m is in the British
This monumental marble
Museum in London.
gateway – the main
entrance to the Acropolis
– was built 437-432 BC.
33
BEULÉ GATE .6
m
Named after a
19th-century French
archaeologist, this
narrow defensive
entrance was added
around AD 280.
TEMPLE OF
ATHENA NIKE
Built 426-421 BC after
the destruction of an
earlier wooden temple
in 480 BC, this later
Ionic structure was also
demolished by the Turks
in 1686 and its stone
used for building. It
was rebuilt in 1835.
PARTHENON
Like most monuments here, this
Doric temple, built 447-432 BC,
replaced an earlier structure
destroyed by the Persians in
480 BC. Later converted to
a church, then a mosque, it
was wrecked by Venetian
bombardment in 1687.
SANCTUARY
OF ZEUS SANCTUARY
Nothing now remains of OF PANDION
this open-air structure, The foundations of this
built around 500 BC and structure were discovered in
devoted to the city’s the 19th century. It’s believed
protector deity. It may have to have been dedicated to a
housed sacrificial oxen. legendary King of Athens.
STATUE OF ATHENA
PARTHENOS
A colossal gold-and-ivory
statue of the city’s patron
goddess carrying Nike
(Victory), designed by the
great sculptor and architect
Phidias, dominated the
centre of the Parthenon.
DORIC Replica of Phidias’
original statue
COLUMNS
m
75
THE COLUMNS
The Greeks developed three systems
of architecture called orders, each
characterised by a style of column as shown
below. The third order, Corinthian, was
rarely used in classical Greek architecture but
was widely implemented in Roman temples.
DORIC IONIC CORINTHIAN
Eg Parthenon; Eg Erechtheion; Introduced late
popular from eighth emerged in sixth fifth century BC
to fifth century BC century BC
Simple Capital Capital
ILLUSTRATION: SOL 90, ALAMY X1, GETTY X1, ISTOCK X4
capital adorned decorated
without with with
ornaments volutes acanthus
(scrolls) leaves and
COLONNADE scrolls
CHALKOTHEKE
This long building Entablature Sturdy shaft, Straight, Thin, straight,
slightly convex thin shaft fluted shaft
abutting the southern
outer wall of the
Acropolis housed the
metal votive offerings Column
(weapons, vessels, No base. Column Base
statuettes) considered is supported by separating
to belong to Athena. the stylobate column
(platform of from
Stylobate the temple) stylobate Base
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